<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>An Unexpected Reminder by ValerieValerah</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23519923">An Unexpected Reminder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValerieValerah/pseuds/ValerieValerah'>ValerieValerah</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ghost (Sweden Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Afternoon Drive, Church of Satan, F/M, Family Feels, Gen, Self-Reflection</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:07:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23519923</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValerieValerah/pseuds/ValerieValerah</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sister Nicole visits the church after a long absence and has a heart-to-heart with Papa Nihil.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Papa Emeritus III/Original Female Character(s), Papa Emeritus Zero | Papa Emeritus Nihil/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Unexpected Reminder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nicole was having one of those days. She wanted nothing more than some peace and quiet, but there was always so much ruckus in the house. The ghouls alone were enough to drive a person mad sometimes. Ever since the tour ended, they had way too much time on their hands. She made herself a mental note that she needed to find some hobbies to keep them occupied.</p><p>She decided that her relief would only come if she got out of the house for a while. There wasn’t really any place for her to go; the house errands had been run for the week and she knew better than to say she was going to the store. If she did that, surely at least a few of the housemates would want to tag along. Having to keep tabs on the ghouls wouldn’t help her cause at all.</p><p>Finally she decided that she was just going to go for a drive. An aimless roam through the countryside should be enough to clear her head. She went to her room and changed from her lounge pants into her favorite black dress and a black sun hat. The dress was a little snug now that she was almost halfway through her pregnancy, but she figured she might as well wear it while she could still fit into it.</p><p>Nicole grabbed her purse and wandered through the halls looking for Terzo. She found him in his office, nearly hidden behind a mountain of paperwork. She plopped herself down in his lap and kissed him softly, wanting to butter him up a bit before asking to borrow the car. He happily kissed her back, relishing in the distraction for a bit before handing over the keys.</p><p>“You better run before anyone sees you leaving,” he said with a smile. “Have fun on your drive.” </p><p>After stealing one last kiss, she left his office and quickly made her way outside. The Rolls was parked at the top of the driveway like it always was. Nicole wasted no time, sliding behind the wheel and immediately starting it up. After taking a moment to roll down the windows and adjust the mirrors, she put on her sunglasses and sped off.</p><p>Nicole watched the house grow smaller and smaller in her rear view mirror. The warm spring air caused her hair to flutter around her face as she gathered speed. The scent of grass and wildflowers filled the car and she breathed deeply, taking it in. She decided not to use a map and instead just followed the roads as they twisted and turned.</p><p>It wasn't long before she noticed a familiar-looking building looming in the distance. She squinted her eyes against the afternoon sun to try and make out what it was. As she got closer, a smile crossed her face - she had subconsciously driven herself to the church. Even though it had been quite a while since she’d made the journey to this place, she was pleased to see that it came back to her so easily. Not having anything else to do, she decided to stop in for a visit.</p><p>She pulled up to the front of the church and killed the engine. After exiting the car, she stared up at the facade of the building, taking a few steps back in order to get a good look at its Gothic architecture. Nicole spent a long moment taking it all in before making her way up the front steps of her former home. She pulled on the handle to the huge wooden front door and was pleased to hear its familiar creak as it opened. She slipped inside and shut the door quietly behind her.</p><p>Nicole removed her sunglasses and began to roam aimlessly through the candlelit hallways of the mausoleum. She ran her fingertips along some of the vaults as she walked by them, their white marble enclosures cold to the touch. She used to make up stories about their inhabitants, imagining the fascinating lives they could have lived. It used to help her cope before she made friends at the church, before she met her beloved Terzo. Things were much simpler back then, but she wouldn’t trade her life now for anything in the world.</p><p>Eventually she made her way to the unhallowed sanctuary. The room was empty, but she chose to sit in the very last pew so that she wouldn’t be in the way if someone came in. Nicole craned her neck to look up at the vaulted ceiling. She had always felt right at home beneath the room’s Gothic arches; there was just something magical about sitting in a place that had remained largely unchanged for centuries. Consistency was something she had always found comfort in.</p><p>Lost in her memories, she didn’t hear the sound of shuffling footsteps approaching behind her. Papa Nihil stood in the sanctuary doorway, eager to see who had come to the church on such a quiet day. “Welcome, my child,” he said. “What brings you here today?”</p><p>Nicole jumped, startled out of her daydream by the sudden voice. She turned her head to find Nihil standing there and a huge smile crossed her face. “Hello, Papa!” she said, rising to her feet.</p><p>Nihil squinted, trying to focus on the face beneath the huge sun hat. When he realized that his daughter in law stood before him, he smiled as well. “Nicole, is that you? What a pleasant surprise!” He approached her and the two embraced before sitting back down together.</p><p>“It’s so good to see you!” Nicole said. “It’s been a while.”</p><p>“It has been,” he agreed. “I used to see you all the time, even after you and Terzo moved away. What happened? We miss you around here.”</p><p>Nicole sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. It’s hard to get out as often as I used to. The house is constantly in an uproar. It takes an act of Satan to keep that place running.”</p><p>Papa frowned. “Yeah, those ghouls of yours are a handful. I don’t know how you deal with them every day. Frankly I’m glad they’re not my problem anymore. I’m just sorry they’re yours.”</p><p>“They’re not so bad,” Nicole laughed. “Most of them are actually quite helpful, they can just be rambunctious, that’s all. So tell me, how are things here? How’s Sister Imperator?”</p><p>“She’s good,” Nihil said, his face lighting up at the mention of her name. “Well, you know. She’s… busy. I couldn’t keep this place running without her.”</p><p>“I’m glad you two have each other to rely on.” Nicole reached over and squeezed Nihil’s hand. “Please tell her that I said hello.”</p><p>“I certainly will,” he replied. “How is everything else going for you? How’s Terzo? The little bastard hardly even bothers to call me anymore.”</p><p>She smiled. “He’s doing well. I know it’s not an excuse, but he does work a lot. Working from home will definitely be helpful when the little one arrives, though.”</p><p>Nihil cocked his head a bit. “Wait, what? Did I miss something?”</p><p>Nicole looked at him incredulously. “You mean Terzo didn’t tell you? Ugh, I’m gonna smack him. Anyway, we’re expecting!”</p><p>Nihil looked down and gasped, not having noticed her rounded belly before this moment. "You mean… I'm going to be a grand-Papa?"</p><p>"Yes! I'm so sorry that we didn't tell you. We didn't even tell everyone in the house until a few weeks ago."</p><p>A huge toothy grin crossed the pope's face. "That's wonderful, Nicole! I'm very happy for you both. To be honest with you, I didn’t have much hope for the continuation of the Emeritus bloodline at this point."</p><p>“Well, it wasn’t something we planned,” Nicole confessed, “but we’re very excited nonetheless.”</p><p>“Planned or not,” Nihil said, “a new baby is always special. And my first grandchild at that! Sister will be thrilled to hear the news.”</p><p>“Good, I’m very glad to hear that,” Nicole replied, smiling happily.</p><p>Nihil shifted a bit so that he could face Nicole more directly. “I could be wrong, but it seems to me like that isn’t the reason why you came here today.”</p><p>Her smile lost a tiny bit of its shine. “To be honest, I’m not really sure why I’m here. I went out for a drive to clear my mind and this is where I ended up.”</p><p>Nihil nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps you're feeling a bit nostalgic?” he suggested. “I know you have strong feelings for this place.”</p><p>“This place changed my whole world,” Nicole affirmed. “You gave me a home when I had no place to go. I found a path to follow, a path that led me to the love of my life.” She rested her hands on her belly. “Both the loves of my life.”</p><p>Nihil smiled. “I will admit, we were all a bit surprised when Terzo told us that he wanted to settle down. He was always quite popular with the sisters, but I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. As far as I'm concerned, he made a great decision.”</p><p>Nicole blushed. “That's very sweet of you to say. I consider myself very lucky to be part of your family.”</p><p>“I'm happy to have you as my daughter in law,” Nihil said, “but you will always be part of our church family as well.”</p><p>“Thank you, Papa,” Nicole said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.</p><p>The two of them sat quietly for a moment just enjoying each other’s company. “I suppose I should get back to work,” Nihil finally said, “but please feel free stay as long as you like. I hope you’re able to find whatever it is you’re looking for.” He rose to his feet slowly, using the pew in front of him to keep his balance.</p><p>Nicole stood as well and gave the pope another hug. “I think maybe I already have,” she said as they embraced.</p><p>“And don’t be a stranger around here! We would love to see you more often.”  He gave her a little smirk as he pulled away. “I suppose you could bring Terzo along with you if you wanted.”</p><p>She laughed. “I promise I’ll be back soon, and before we know it I’ll have a little helper with me.”</p><p>Nihil reached out and gently rested his hand on her belly. “I’m looking forward to it. Goodbye, Nicole. Take care of yourself.”</p><p>“You as well, Papa. Goodbye.” She stayed standing until he had shuffled back through the door and out of sight. Once he was gone, Nicole walked the length of the sanctuary and stood at the base of the altar.</p><p>A smile crossed her face as she approached, her mind flooding with fond memories of past black masses. She herself had laid across the altar many a time, and had assisted the other sisters with their own sacrifices more times than she could count. “Maybe Papa’s right,” she said quietly to herself as she stood there. “I need to recommit myself to the church... recommit myself to the Dark Lord.”</p><p>Nicole looked up at the likeness of Baphomet that stood behind the altar and paused in a moment of silent thought. “I promise I will make more time for you,” she said to him. “<em>In nomine omnipotentis Lucifero, Nema</em><em>.</em>” With a bow of her head, she turned and left the sanctuary.</p><p>As she got back into the car, the thought of heading home made her sigh. She figured that the ghouls - who surely by now had noticed her absence - would meet her at the door and ask what she was making for dinner. With a little luck, she thought maybe she could manage a short nap before she had to start cooking. She put her sunglasses back on and sat behind the wheel of the car for a moment before starting it up.</p><p>Nicole drove home in silence, alone with her thoughts, and snuck quietly back into the house. She went straight to Terzo’s office, where she found him finishing up his work for the day. He smiled when she walked in and got up to welcome her home, pulling her into his arms and giving her a soft kiss. “Did you have a good time?” he asked, tossing the keys somewhere in the pile atop his desk.</p><p>“I did,” she replied, “but I’m tired. Would you like to join me for a nap?”</p><p>“I can’t think of anything I’d like more, <em> cara mia</em>.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her up to their bedroom. Together they climbed onto the bed and snuggled up close, Nicole resting her head on Terzo’s shoulder. “Tell me, did you find what you were looking for?” he asked quietly as his eyelids grew heavy.</p><p>“Yes,” Nicole whispered, closing her eyes. “It turns out I already knew where it was, I just needed to be reminded.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>